ACTED Shelter Cluster Regional Focal Point (Africa) Job in Nairobi Kenya

Department: Programme
 

Position: Shelter Cluster Regional Focal Point – Africa
 

Contract duration: 1 year
 

Location: Nairobi, Kenya
 

Starting Date: ASAP
 

I. Background on ACTED: ACTED is a French humanitarian NGO, founded in 1993, which supports vulnerable populations, affected by humanitarian crises worldwide. ACTED provides continued support to vulnerable communities by ensuring the sustainability of post-crisis interventions and engaging long-term challenges facing our target populations, in order to break the poverty cycle, foster development and reduce vulnerability to disasters. 

Our interventions seek to cover the multiple aspects of humanitarian and development crises through a multidisciplinary approach which is both global and local, and adapted to each context. Our 3,300 staff is committed in to responding to emergencies worldwide, to supporting recovery and rehabilitation, towards sustainable development.
 

Our teams in the field implement some 340 projects in 34 countries covering the following sectors emergency relief, food security, access to health, education and training, economic development, microfinance, advocacy, institutional support, and regional dialogue, cultural promotion.
 

Based on considerable experience addressing the needs and situations of vulnerable communities, ACTED contributes to the international agenda towards reaching the Millennium Development Goals, through a wide range of partnerships, innovative initiatives, and campaigns.
 

II. Country Profile
 

Capital Office: Nairobi
 

National Staff: 105
 

Areas: Kenya, Uganda (Pokot, Middle Juba, Northern Uganda, Karamoja)
 

On-going programmes: 19
 

Budget: 4.2 M
 

ACTED launched its Kenya mission in January of 2008 with an emergency assistance program for residents in Nairobi slums affected by the post election violence. Since 2009, Nairobi has been the home base of ACTED’s relief operation in Southern Somalia aimed at supporting vulnerable famers affected by recurrent droughts.
 

In 2010, ACTED’s mission in Kenya/Somalia sought to address the needs of pastoralist and farmer communities of North Central Kenya and South Somalia arising from multiple shocks such as adverse climatic conditions and disease outbreaks, through emergency food and non-food items distribution.
 

In the wake of this emergency context, ACTED also promoted the adoption of sustainable community based solutions, emphasizing livelihood strengthening and diversification, natural resource rehabilitation and management, good hygiene practices and access to sanitation facilities.

ACTED is developing its programs in South Somalia, focusing on building capacity to respond to emergency outbreaks, as well as ensuring local populations are integrated into longer term projects aiming at improving their livelihoods. 

This will occur in the form of food, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and livelihood support to vulnerable agro-pastoral and riverine communities.

Today, ACTED's teams and resources are mobilized on the front of dire needs in our areas of intervention in Somalia and Kenya, as well as other areas in the Horn of Africa.

III. Position Profile
 

In 2013, the Global Shelter Cluster (GSC) approved its GSC Strategy for the period 2013-2017. 

In order to advance the implementation of the GSC Strategy, and in particular its Strategic Aim 1, the GSC with funding support from ECHO has established Shelter Cluster Regional Focal Points (RFPs) hosted by cluster partner agencies as standby/surge capacity and support for country level cluster based preparedness planning and awareness raising. 

The RFPs are hosted by partner agencies and operate in close collaboration with global cluster leads, therefore contributing to strengthen capacities of the overall shelter sector. 

The GSC Strategic Advisory Group (SAG) agreed on a transparent process for the selection of partners to host RFPs. An open invitation was made to all cluster partners for expressions of interest to host these RFPs. 

As an active member of the GSC, ACTED sent an expression of interest to host the position of RFP – Africa Region, which was accepted by the GSC SAG based on pre-agreed criteria.

The purpose of the Shelter Cluster Regional Focal Point (RFP) is to deliver emergency capacity building and preparedness support to national shelter clusters and national coordination platforms, with primary focus on building local capacities.

• Provide technical support to on-going clusters and other coordination mechanisms at the regional and country level on shelter coordination and sector-based contingency planning.
• Support the national cluster coordinators in the region in fulfilling the IASC and GSC guidance. This will be done in coordination with the GSC Support Team.
• Support the government and shelter actors in selected high-risk countries where there is no existing shelter coordination capacity. The support will mainly include undertaking sector-based contingency planning and strengthening their capacity to respond to shelter emergencies,
• Enhance shelter cluster planning and strategy development at regional and national levels, including the integration of cross-cutting issues.
• Contribute to roll out the cluster approach and global guidance and tools to shelter coordination bodies, especially at national and sub-national levels.
• Increase awareness of and participation in shelter clusters in the region of operation, particularly of local NGOs and other national stakeholders.
• Complement the Global Shelter Cluster surge capacity system, by providing dedicated surge capacity as members of Shelter Coordination Teams when required.
• Lead the organization of regional shelter coordination workshops and trainings and support the organization of national and global shelter coordination workshops and trainings.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of global shelter coordination guidance and tools (Strategy, Fact Sheet, Performance Monitoring, amongst others), to the systematization of good practice in coordination mechanisms at country level, and to shelter cluster reviews and evaluations.
• Provide content as relevant and regularly monitor the website (sheltercluster.org) at the global, regional and country level sites to provide inputs and additional documents as necessary.
• Work in close collaboration with other RFPs, GSC Global Focal Points and the GSC Support Team to ensure consistency and learning across regions.

IV. Qualifications:

• Postgraduate diploma or relevant Master’s level degree (engineering)
• Fluency in written and spoken English
• A minimum of 3 years shelter/housing or rehabilitation programming experience
• Familiarity with current standards and guidelines for humanitarian emergency response
• Awareness of and exposure to the humanitarian reform process
• Ability to work with sensitive issues in a multi-cultural environment and with virtual or/and dispersed teams
• Ability to undertake strategic analysis and translate thinking into practice
• Ability to inspire, to build confidence and to find creative and constructive solutions to difficult issues

V. Conditions:

• Salary defined by the ACTED salary grid; educational level, expertise, hardship, security, and performance are considered for pay bonus
• Additional monthly living allowance
• Free food and lodging provided at the organisation’s guesthouse/or housing allowance (depending on contract length and country of assignment)
• Transportation costs covered, including additional return ticket + luggage allowance
• Provision of medical, life, and repatriation insurance + retirement package

VI. Submission of applications:
 

Please send, in English, your cover letter, CV, and three references to jobs@acted.org
 

Ref: SCFP/KEN/SA
 

ACTED
Att: Human Resources Department
33, rue Godot de Mauroy
75009 Paris
France

Fax. + 33 (0) 1 42 65 33 46

For more information, visit us at http://www.acted.org